Bagpipes from Hell

For starters, there are no bagpipes on this weird and wonderful mix of 17th- and 18th-century music arranged for lute, ceterone, viola da gamba, and lyra viol. But the playing by Vittorio Ghielmi and Luca Pianca (founder of the Giardino Armonico ensemble) on Bagpipes from Hell will have you fooled that something wheezy is at work here. It's an odd mix of dances, including jigs, and folk-inspired numbers ("Brown Haired Maiden," anyone?) that somehow blends the droning elements of bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy with the intricate delicacy of baroque composition. Works by Marin Marais, Christopher Simpson, Antoine Forqueray, and anonymous composers are included, and the playing throughout is intense and exquisitely recorded. Unfortunately, the slim liner notes on the gorgeous Winter & Winter disc don't help to explain why this assortment of music works (and the scary Hieronymous Bosch painting does little more than intimidate), but it's still easy to love. Whether traditional (Simpson's "Ground Divisions") or interpreted (the anonymous 17th-century tune "Bagpipes," where metal strings are used), this is beautiful, seldom-heard music--a little darker than that on most baroque discs, but just as delightful. --Jason Verlinde  more